


My writing journey + useful tips and links

by Shackett74



Series: The perks and challenges of writing [1]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types
Genre: Writing Process
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:07:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28546851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shackett74/pseuds/Shackett74
Summary: Just my random thoughts on (my) writing process, the characters I write about and the ME universeHere you'll also find reflections on writing, fandom, development, tips I've encountered aso.These reflections are not intended for kudos, but feel free to comment if you like. =)
Series: The perks and challenges of writing [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2101779
Kudos: 1





	My writing journey + useful tips and links

Thank you for stopping by! 

FIRST OF ALL: MY WORK IS ONLY BASIC WHEN POSTED:

1\. When I finally post my fics it doesn't mean anything else than that they still are on a **basic** **level** language-wise (and I am very aware that from there _much_ still can be improved). I feel I need to stress that early on here, so no one thinks _I think_ I'm a "helluva accomplished writer who deign to share my wisdom"... on the contrary! Rarely have I encountered an amateur writer (me) who manage to mix straightforward (as in "non-descriptive") with "long-winded" (as in "passive tense" and loads of "redundant", "weasel" words...). Yep that's me.

But it's hard to improve without a frequent **Betareader** because there is only so much one can do with one pair of eyes. 

2\. I don't have access to the same modern expressions as people living in English speaking places have today.

Therefore my vocabulary and style probably are somewhat different. 

With that over with, let's go on with the perhaps more joyable stuff.

NEED BETAREADER?

But, above stated doesn't mean I can't **edit** other'works. Actually I'm quite good at editing other's writing (thanks to many years of editing reports, thesis's, 'papers' aso).

So with the above stated I also want you to know that **if you need a betareader** , just say the word (and what you want help with -and not).

This is actually a great feature from FF.Net that I pick up on here on AO3.

One thing though, is that my attention span doesn't handle more than max 5 pages (~2000-3000 words) at a time.

I can help with this:  
* Pace and momentum  
* POV  
* Characterization  
* Inconsistencies in story

* Plot  
* Identify overall areas of improvement 

* Readability

World's: Mass Effect T, MEA (LotR)

TIPS ON GOOD LECTURES AND VIDS ON WRITING:

Someone who has taught me many good things about writing is **SHAEILINWRITES** on YouTube. It's also kind of an extensive series of vids with many different topics one can choose from (POV, tense, passive voice, sentences, redundant words, editing and muuuuch more.) 

**BRANDON SANDERSON.** You know the guy who took over and finished Robert Jordan's epic Dragon Reborn-series? That's him.

I dare not say if he's actually a professor of literature, but he has a writing class about Sci fi and Fantasy on university level, and you can find his interesting lectures on YouTube. You find several interesting and helpful topics there too. 

F ex, around the 40'th minute into "Lecture #4 on Viewpoint and Q&A's" we find a really interesting and well described topic of **viewpoints** (better than _all_ I've heard and read on internet so far).

Described without preconceptions with useful ex of literature from each POV. And from ~50 min, he gives the pro et contra of each pov, and thus which circumstances which POV might be more effective. 

Other vids and writers/authors worth checking out are **Author Level Up** and **Abbie Emmons.**

THINGS I'VE PICKED UP ALONG THE WAY:

**2021:**

Lately I've become more aware of *Reduntant words ("excessive words") which I use a lot, but also *Weazel words that are typically favorite words that we overuse.

*Show-not-tell, is another important concept you might have heard of which was completely new to me as late as of Dec 2020! That one is important but hard for me and I blame it on being a teacher. 

10 of Jan: I've downloaded and deleted **Transformations and Beginnings Anew part 1 & II**, and will eventually remake them into fewer and separate independent fics more focused on the - hopefully - more exciting, action-packed parts.   
It's my mother's birthday =) and so I'm posting a mini fic about Jon Grissom and his baby girl Kahlee.

 **February** : Readability, readability, readability!  
Shorten sentences, transform some passive voice into active, and use Grammarly premium and AutoCrit for help. =)

**Mars:**

I realize I've accomplished quite many things besides writing fan fic: Followed a General Astronomy course for college on YT; made an fairly extensive Vocabulary Dictionary organized into noun, adjectives and verbs. Plus idioms and the such.

Furthermore I've begun making an attribution to the Mass Effect world build ("lore"?); and studied Sun Tzu! All as research for upcoming stories.

Not to mention all YT vids on writing by Brandon Sanderson and Abbie Emmons lately. 

I'm actually quite proud of myself! Not that my writing has developed to the same extent necessarily, but for the effort in itself. 


End file.
